My "100 Kinfolk" Project is Now Available as a Bundle!

As some of my readers out there are no doubt aware, I spent roughly a year and a half tinkering with what I called the 100 Kinfolk Project for Werewolf: The Apocalypse. For those not familiar with the project, I went tribe by tribe out of the core book, and created a list of 100 kinfolk for each of them. The series was capped off by me teaming up with Clinton Boomer, providing a blowout 200 kinfolk for the Black Spiral Dancers!

Anyway, the project's finally finished cooling, and High Level Games decided it was time for the next phase... putting all the tribes together in a single bundle!

If you've been waiting, now is your chance!

What You Get in This Package

 

For those who just want numbers, you get 13 separate kinfolk lists in this bundle, which amounts to 1,400 kinfolk total! Normally this would run you about $26 if you bought them individually, but the bundle is up for $15. While it means a cut in my royalties, I'm more than happy to take that hit if it means more players are willing to take the dive and put some of these characters in-play at their tables.

Ah, but there's something else, too.

If you're still not sure about the 100 Kinfolk Bundle, though, let me reiterate what I said about it not so long ago in A Response to The "Flaw" in My 100 Kinfolk Collection. In short, I first started this project because I was tired of so many players and storytellers leaning on the edginess of the 90s aesthetic, and using the bad faith excuse of, "it's a horror game," to justify exclusion and poor treatment of players. Since werewolves come from everywhere in the world, and the tribes extend into every part of humanity, I wanted to create a reference that was more inclusive and more welcoming than a lot of the "typical" setups we see. Especially from when the game was younger.

And for those who complained that I ignored too many of the usual archetypes and cringe-worthy things that were tolerated in the game nearly three decades ago, well, I found a place for them. The white-power Get of Fenris kin? The Red Talon kin who wants to murder any human they see? The Black Fury kin who tortures men for no reason other than because they are men? The Shadow Lord kin who abuses their power and makes others suffer for their own personal enjoyment? All of them wound up in the Black Spiral Dancer book.

Because if everything is dark and awful all the time, then what's the point of the game? Werewolf, perhaps more than any other World of Darkness sphere, is about battling the chaos, trying to find the balance, and saving the world. And the only thing that let the tribes succeed for so long was the unity of the pack... without that, everything falls apart.

Just some thoughts to consider, if you weren't sure about whether or not this was a bundle you'd be interested in!

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That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Some of The Best Magic Tattoos in Pathfinder

 I've been holding off a little while on this entry, but I figured this week would be an appropriate time for it since my supplement 100 Fantasy Tattoos (And The Meaning Behind Them) just dropped from Azukail Games! So this week I thought I'd talk about the unique mechanic of magic tattoos in Pathfinder, and which ones I think you should consider checking out.

And remember, when it comes to tattoos, you get what you pay for.

While the following entries will be wondrous items, feats, and spells, I won't be including class feature magic tattoos in this list. Though if folks like this initial step into this under-utilized mechanic, I might write a follow-up for some of those as well.

Lastly, if I missed some of your favorites, make sure to leave it in the comments along with why you think that particular magic tattoo is so good!

#1: Potion Tattoo

Pick your poison!

Speaking of spells that give you tattoos, this one out of Inner Sea Magic has some serious strategic implications. This spell, available to alchemists, sorcerers, wizards, witches, and bards, allows you to mix special inks into a potion, and drink it. Once you've drunk it, the potion appears on your chest as a tattoo, ready to be used.

What makes this spell so useful is that the potion is there permanently. While it could be dispelled, it can't be stolen, you don't have to spend an action to draw it, and enemies can't take an attack of opportunity to slap it out of your hand. It's a little pricey at 500 gold for the components, and you can only have one at a time, but it's a nice little ace in the hole.

#2: Runeward Tattoo

Little protection never hurt anybody.

Found in the supplement Magical Marketplace, Runeward tattoos seem pretty blase on their face. Each of these tattoos is geared toward a particular school of magic, and they give you the ability to use detect magic at-will for that school of magic. The helpful thing, though, is that they give you a +1 bonus to saves against spells and spell-like abilities of that school, and you always know when a spell of that type is cast within 60 feet of you.

These tattoos are fairly cheap, at only 1k (assuming you don't take Inscribe Magic Tattoo and do it yourself), and if you're going to be facing a particular type of magic fairly often then this is going to be a godsend. Whether it's keeping the fighter from falling under enchantment effects, or so that you always know when someone casts an illusion spell in your vicinity, it can be a lovely heads-up warning that won't break your budget.

#3: Animal Totem Tattoo

Deadly ink!

Another feat, this one also found in Magical Marketplace, animal totem tattoo grants the bearer the 5th-level totem transformation ability of the appropriate animal shaman druid type. Which, for those who select bat, dragon, or eagle, means you have a fly speed for 5 minutes per day that goes everywhere with you! The other animal types offer other benefits, of course, but for my money flight trumps them every time.

It's pretty expensive at 12k, but if you have someone in the party who's taken the Inscribe Magic Tattoo feat then 6k and a lot of nights spent with your shirt off by the campfire is not a bad price to pay for something that can come in quite handy.

#4: Tattoo Transformation

Open your mind... absorb my power!

Another feat worth considering is Tattoo Transformation, out of the Monster Summoner's Handbook. This feat requires you to first take Tattoo Attunement, which allows you to absorb creatures you've summoned into your body as tattoos. This suspends their duration, keeping them present for a number of hours equal to your caster level. It's a standard action to release them, and the idea is that this allows you to get full use out of your summon monster spells.

Tattoo Transformation, however, allows you to absorb some of the summoned creature's protections. If they have energy resistance, you can make use of it as if it was yours (though you only get 1 category if they have multiple resistances). If the creature has an energy immunity, you gain a resistance of 20 in that category. If you're going to be summoning monsters anyway, this is a great way to keep a menagerie up your sleeve, and help stop yourself from getting blasted by an evoker while you're at it.

#5: Weapon Tattoo

Where was I keeping that? Wouldn't you like to know.

 

Found in the Dirty Tactics Toolbox, this unique tattoo allows someone to store a single weapon sized for them in a magical space on one forearm (though the tattoo prevents the other forearm from being used as a space, even though it only stores one weapon). When stored, the weapon appears sheathed on the forearm, and it can be drawn as a swift action, appearing in the hand it's tattooed near. It takes a full-round action to put away, of course, but it's the ultimate in clandestine armaments and back-up weapons for the adventurer who doesn't want to appear strapped.

It is extremely expensive, at 10k gold pieces, but again if you've got someone in the party crafting it for you 5k isn't too bad for a weapon that goes wherever you go. Especially since this is a tattoo that can be used all the time, and it's ideal for those sneaky, undercover missions where you can't go in armed to the teeth.

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That's all for this week's Crunch topic! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio! Or if you'd like to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well! And if you'd like to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little bit of help can go a long way, trust me on that one.

The Thick of Battle (An Alternate Approach For Mass Combat)

 RPGs are, generally speaking, focused on the deeds and actions of a single party of adventurers. Sometimes there are a few helpful NPCs here and there, but the narrative is focused on the PCs because they're the main characters of the story.

But there are times when the conflicts the PCs join are far beyond the scope of just the party. Whether it's a massing horde of demons trying to break free from a shattered hole in reality, or simply the opposing armies of two nations warring in a great battle, there is only so much the party can do to influence the outcome of this combat.

So how do you realize that in a way that's engaging, instead of boring?

There's too damn many of them!

While there are rules for dealing with mass combat in books like Ultimate Campaign, I've found they generally have the effect of turning what should be a pitched, pivotal moment into a miniatures war game. The party stops being the central characters of the narrative, and they become just one more unit on the board. A powerful unit, to be sure, but just one among the sea being moved back and forth across the map as the battle rages.

If that sort of change in scope and perspective doesn't appeal to you, but you also don't want to set up a massive army of enemy figures and pre-roll dozens to hundreds of combat checks, I would recommend using a setup that I've come to call The Thick of Battle.

The Armies Are Massing (And You're in The Middle of It)

Picture the scene. The party is approaching the last battle with their foe. The dark and secret cult has come out into the open, and they're bringing everything they can to try to clinch victory. They've conjured demons, deployed their armies of black-armored zealots, summoned undead champions from ages past, and the potent sorcerers of the cabal stand, calling down fire and death upon their foes. The heroes have a shining host at their backs, as well as a company of griffin riders, a mercenary unit of drake cavalry, a copse of oaken warriors and their druid allies, and a single dragon who has stood for ages against these servants of darkness.

That is an absurd amount of firepower on both sides, and no DM in their right mind would try to work this all out on an individual basis.

No one.

I've been in this situation probably half a dozen times as a player. The endgame is near, and you've called in all the favors you've built up since the beginning of the campaign to bring a full force to bear. What keeps things feeling epic, without losing focus on the PCs, is that the action never shifts away from them.

But at the same time, they're not fighting everything by themselves. Let me explain.

Before the battle really gets going, determine the important zones of conflict across the field. If the party was defending a town, for example, you might have the main gate, the bridge at the southern entrance, and the beach where a water assault might happen. Watch where the party sets up their defenses, and when the assault starts just track who does what, and how long it takes.

Time is of the essence, here.

For example, say the enemy stages an assault by giants on the main gate to draw attention. Conveniently, that's where the party is. When that happens, start the timer. Does the party try diplomacy and parley? If so they might stop the giants from attacking for a time, but the pre-arranged 10 minute secondary assault at the southern bridge begins no matter what's going on up north. Now what happens? Does the party fight the giants and hope the southern bridge holds? Do they trust the giants to abide by any agreements and flee south to reinforce?

Or you could reverse the situation. Say the party laid traps and an ambush at the gate, and the giants are dealt with in less than a minute. With that force of enemies no longer a concern, the party can move to instantly reinforce any other zone that's hit. If they cast buff spells on themselves, track those effects to see what carries over from one fight to the next (especially things that increase their movement speed, allowing them to reach other combat zones more quickly). Now when the pirates come sailing toward the beach, or the enemy mercenaries attempt to take the bridge, they're not only dealing with the NPCs and prearranged defenses, but also the party they expected to be occupied elsewhere for this fight.

Keep Everything in Motion

While the focus should always be on the party, the entire battle needs to be in constant motion around them, with changing situations spilling over as things develop. If the skald is playing atop the wall to boost their comrades, ask how many NPCs are likewise bolstered in their battles. And if the party can provide long-range support (given the 400+ feet a lot of spells can reach), ask what happens if the wizard or the sorcerer sends some arcane artillery into a nearby field to aid their allies.

You wanna get nuts, fine... let's get nuts!

You, as the DM, are still going to have to reduce the other fields of combat to a miniatures game that you can quickly resolve with a few rolls of the dice in between rounds. Whether it's the duel between the black cloaks and the skeleton brigade, or how well the combat between the drake riders and a squadron of enemy bat cavalry goes, you need to be able to present those background struggles as poignant moments in the chaotic swirl of combat.

But they should also act as a way to change future battlefield conditions... for better or worse.

For instance, say the party is trying to take a hill being held by a heavily entrenched enemy. If the dragon defeated its previous opponent, the party might be able to call down its breath weapon like an air strike, giving them the chance they need to advance. If a group of warriors defeated a nearby encounter, they might swarm up the other side of the hill, splitting the enemies' attention so the party can progress. Or if a nearby ally was overwhelmed, now there are plodding zombies reeking of rot and disease closing on the party's position while they're pinned down from above.

To make your life simple, allies should act as a situational modifier or bonus support, while enemies should show up as monsters to be dealt with. Firstly because action economy is a serious consideration, and secondly because the whole point is to focus on the experience the PCs are having during the battle. The actions they take and the choices they make will effect the outcome, but they need to make those choices while in the thick of things rather than sitting on the other end of a chess board.

This Won't Be For Everyone

The key thing to remember is that this strategy won't work for everyone. Some DMs may like preexisting rule sets for mass combat, while others might like the idea of moving to a minis game that has its own, simpler resolution mechanics for dealing with big battles before zooming back into the action.

With that said, my experience has been that if you make the party scramble to keep up with the battle on a larger scale, you get more satisfying results. This is doubly true for being able to break out magic items, spells, and other pieces of equipment that are meant for larger battles and bigger scales, but which just don't come up all that often during regular dungeon delves.

Also, if you're a DM who's looking for inspiration for forces to call on in a big battle scene, you might find the following supplements by yours truly to be of interest:

- 100 Random Mercenary Companies: From battlefield evokers, to howling, roaring berserkers, these free companies have every kind of warrior one could hope to field. Allies and enemies alike may be found in here, should one have the coin or the favor to pay them.

- 100 Knightly Orders: From noble banner bearers defending the realm, to the brutal, shadowy enforcers who hunt the darker corners of the world, there are orders in here for nearly any circumstance you might face. Good, evil, and more than a few in between.

- 100 Cults to Encounter: Whether they're servants of dark lords, or the hidden aids of nature faiths, these cults can often be just as dangerous as allies as they are when they're enemies. In addition to cults, though, you might also find the entries in 100 Secret Societies to be of interest!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Rise of The Runelords Chapter 26: The Gateway To Xin-Shalast

The Companions have ventured far from the origin of their adventure, and though they were beset by a spirit of hunger and dread, they managed to slay the Wendigo and break its grip on the mountains... but not before it took one of their own. With Ivory's blood cooling on the snow, and the storm finally passing, what will happen next?

For those who need to catch up on this tale, the table of contents for the adventure are as follows:

- Chapter 1: Blood and Butterflies
- Chapter 2: Murder and Glass
- Chapter 3: The Sin Pit
- Chapter 4: Tussles in The Tangle
- Chapter 5: The Assault on Thistletop
- Chapter 6: Secrets Behind The Curtain
- Chapter 7: Murders At The Mill
- Chapter 8: Halflings and Ghouls
- Chapter 9: Fox in The Hen House
- Chapter 10: Something Rotten in Magnimar
- Chapter 11: The Crumbling Tower
- Chapter 12: Demonbane
- Chapter 13: Trouble at Turtleback Ferry
- Chapter 14: The Taking of Fort Rannick
- Chapter 15: Water Over The Dam
- Chapter 16: Mad Lovers, And Lost Captains
- Chapter 17: The March of The Giants
- Chapter 18: The Taking of Jorgenfist
- Chapter 19: The Secrets Beneath Sandpoint
- Chapter 20: At The Gates of The Runeforge
- Chapter 21: Storming The Halls of Evocation
- Chapter 22: The Bowels of Necromancy's Tomb

- Chapter 23: The End of Runeforge

- Chapter 24: Preparation For The Final Journey 

- Chapter 25: The Hunger in The Mountains 

- Chapter 26: The Gateway to Xin-Shalast

- Chapter 27: The Path of Temptation

- Chapter 28: The Three-Fold Challenge of Xin-Shalast

- Chapter 29: Crossing The Barrier of Greed

- Chapter 30: The Fall of Karzoug

And now, to see what other gods and monsters will stand in their way as they seek the lost gate of Xin-Shalast.

Rebirth in The Mountains

As the Companions gathered round the body of their slain friend Ivory, they felt resolve grow afresh in their hearts. Not only that, but as they retreated into the abandoned mine for shelter from the cold, they found something on her person. A scroll written in a flowing, celestial hand containing a spell that could resurrect one who had only been gone a brief time. Without hesitation Mirelinda unfurled the scroll, and performed the rite as soon as she was certain she understood it.

"In case of emergency." Well, this seems like the appropriate time...

As the complex ritual flowed off Mirelinda's tongue, the wind outside died. It was as if the frozen valley were holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen. A light began to glow, and to swell, filling the small space with a feeling of warmth, and comfort. A feeling that a great door to a realm of enjoyment was being opened, and someone was leaving once more. Then Ivory sat up, coughing and shivering, cold for the first time in months as she worked circulation back into her body.

She thanked the others for their effort, but suggested that in future encounters they exercise a little more caution. Her contingencies were finite, after all.

Guardians of The Gate

Once they'd rested, and felt reasonably certain that the immediate danger has passed, the Companions returned to the trail. In the day or so since the demise of the Wendigo the surrounding countryside had already begun to scrub away the stain of its presence. Tentative birds were returning, and though still cold, the biting wind had ceased. A curious deer walked along a far slope, as if scouting to see where the change in the air came from.

As the Companions crossed into a cleft between two cliffs, they found a small, hidden valley. A place that had the warmth of a hot spring, and where birds and beasts had come to take refuge. There was fear, but also curiosity... as if something else were watching behind their eyes. It was when the Companions reached a pool, and saw a creature splash out of it that they knew who commanded this place... though not what she wanted.

There you are... what took you so long?

The nymph who watched over the grove was curious to see who it was that had broken the grip of the hungering horror on her mountains, and to see what she could do to repay those bold enough to face it down. When she recognized the Companions as those who had helped her cousin, who had gone mad over the loss of her lover near the Black Arrows' fortress, she was doubly pleased to have them as guests.

When she was told they sought Xin-Shalast, though, she grew somewhat grave. Frost giants had been coming through the ancient gates, kidnapping people and dragging them back through. None of them had been seen again after they were taken. Worse, an ancient shadow still lurked in that pass. A wyrm whose name was so old that most texts of the modern age had never recorded it at all.

Thok and Chikara took to the undergrowth soon after, vanishing into the hills to see what they would have to pass to enter Xin-Shalast. What they found was nearly a dozen frost giants milling around, with a small village of recently taken hostages who bore the cast of Kellids. Many of the frost giants were branded with the old runes of power. Not only that, but there were great beasts walled in ice who had massive chunks bitten from them. Chunks that had been taken in a single mouthful by something that had survived the changing of aeons, and which bore scars from the time of the Runelords' ascendancy.

No Chains, No Slavers

No sooner did Thok and Chikara return with word of what they'd seen than the other Companions readied themselves to move out. They could wait, and sneak in on the heels of the giants, but there were innocents being forced into lives of servitude for the most debased of wizards. Their stealth was not worth a cost that high.

While even one sits in chains, none are truly free.

The Companions approached boldly, making no secret of themselves. Upon seeing such little mortals, the frost giants took up their defensive positions atop the mountain, and began flinging stones. Several fell wide of the mark, but one of them struck Thok in the head. Blood ran down his face, and with the blood came a cold fury the slayer rarely displayed. He loosed an arrow that took the rock thrower in the eye, the air around the giant's head freezing to droplets of snow with the impact from the enchanted bow.

Zhakar raised his burning sword with a mighty battle cry, and the light that burned within him went chill, and bleak. It pulsed from him like a shield, protecting those who sheltered within it. And not a moment too soon, for it had barely flicked into existence before the great, white beast fell from behind the clouds, frost burning from its maw and hammering down upon the Companions. Though chilled, their fast reflexes and Zhakar's shield managed to blunt the worst of the monster's breath.

Chaos ensued. Mirelinda took shelter beneath overhanging rocks, attempting to speed the others with one spell, and then to open chasms beneath the frost giants with the next. Chikara tensed and leaped, bounding from one stone to another, roaring as she brought down her ax like thunder upon the giants who stood before her. Zhakar took to the air, hoping to draw the dragon to him. Below, Thok reached into a special pocket on his quiver and slipped out a pair of arrows they had taken from the last dragon who had attacked them. Arrows that had once belonged to a dragon slayer, and which had lost none of their potency.

As the dragon came around for another attack, Thok loosed the arrows. The first hit cleanly, smashing through the wyrm's protections and embedding itself in its chest directly over its heart. As it roared, rearing back its head, Zhakar let forth the beam of fire from the flametongue in his hand, using the arrow's fletching as his place to aim. The fire ate through the frost wyrm's defenses, blackening and charring its flesh. The creature belched ice, flagging as it tried to turn, fire melting its guts. Before it could flee, Thok nocked the other arrow, and let fly. It caught the wyrm in the throat, and it tumbled from the sky, its blood freezing into hail as it dug a new trench in the valley floor.

A Small Change That May Mark an Avalanche

Though several of the frost giants were dead, several others fled into a great cavern. Something howled in its depths, as if there was more than a hole in the earth beyond. One frost giant remained, his ax on the ground, prostrating himself for mercy.

"The tales are true," he rumbled, fear and awe mixing in his voice. "They did not believe, but I knew one day you would come for us."

You know you've made it when giants take you seriously.

Zhakar looked at their captive, and into him. He bore no marks of the Runelords' control, nor did he have the twisted soul of an evil creature. Many captives, once freed, said that he had treated them fairly, if not kindly, and that he had been hurt by his companions for it.

"Would you take service, and embrace a new path?" Zhakar asked.

"You have only to name it," the giant said.

"You are Shepherd, now," Zhakar said, touching the giant upon the brow with his left hand, healing the wounds he had sustained. "Tonight we shall rest here, and upon the morrow you will escort your small brothers and sisters south. There is a vale held by a nymph where they can rest. From there, help them find their way home once more."

"And... and what of you?" the giant now called Shepherd asked.

The Companions looked at the cavern. It seemed to suck at the air and the light, eating at the world around it. The howl was filled with greed and darkness, and it made the skin pebble with discomfort and wariness.

"We will go to Xin-Shalast," Zhakar said. "And if we must, raze it to its foundations."

Next Time on Table Talk!

We have entered the final book of the campaign! Will the Companions overturn the corrupt rule of Karzoug, or will they succumb to the temptations of green and power? Will they destroy Xin-Shalast, or will they find something inside it that can undo the damage wrought by its keeper? Stay tuned, and I'll see you next time on Table Talk!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio where I help out from time to time. Or, to check out books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my recent short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little donation can have a big impact.

Closure Is Important For Players To Move On To New Concepts

We've all been at a table with that player. You know the one I'm talking about. The one who always seems to play the exact same character when a new game starts. Not just mechanically (though that's usually part of it) but thematically, as well. They're always the same elven renegade, the same assassin seeking redemption, or the same fighter looking for revenge on the creature that destroyed their home.

The character sheet might have a new name on it, but everything else is always the same.

Thought you'd seen the last of me, eh?

I've seen this happen a lot, and there are all kinds of reasons for it. Sometimes it really is just a failure of creativity, and the player is unable or unwilling to try something different (in which case, I'd recommend a scroll through my Unusual Character Concepts list). However, a far more common reason for this habit in my experience is that a player has a story they want to tell, and they aren't allowed to actually tell that story. Whether it's because the campaign abruptly ends, or a character gets killed, or the DM just stymies certain avenues, the player simply can't finish the story they set out to tell.

This is the same feeling a lot of folks get when they're at dinner with friends, and they're halfway through telling a story, and suddenly they get interrupted or the conversation changes. They weren't done yet, and even if they'd like to join the new conversation, all they can focus on was that they didn't get to finish the story they were trying to tell.

Which means that they're going to try to bring it up again, and again, until they get some damn closure.

You'd Be Surprised How a Finished Story Moves People Along

As I mentioned back in That One Time I Played a Bard Out of Spite (And Had a Ball), I myself was trapped in a stutter loop by constantly flaking DMs who never let me finish my character's arc. I had a whole tale I wanted to tell, but every time a game got cancelled after three levels, or someone's work schedule changed, or the group broke up, I was left feeling like I was just getting to the meat of my story when everyone stopped paying attention.

And that was an intensely frustrating feeling to have.

My imagination is not understanding when it comes to failure.

The thing was, I didn't realize that wasn't a normal part of the gaming process until I actually had a DM who stuck with the group and finished a campaign. The first time I ever got to actually finish something (which if memory serves was Carrion Crown, whose ending was told in That One Time My Paladin One-Shotted The Campaign's Final Big Bad), I had this feeling of intense accomplishment. Not only that, but I didn't play a paladin for years after that game, nor did I play anyone from that character's homeland. I certainly felt no urge to play someone who was hoping to earn good favor with the goddess of death in order to finally be reunited with his wife... because I'd already told that story. I got my satisfying ending, and I moved on to other things.

And I think there are a lot of DMs (and even other players) who don't really appreciate how draining it can be to put down a story you were really invested in, and to make up something else entirely. Because that other tale is still waiting, and we're going to want to finish it sooner or later.

A Solid Ending Makes A World of Difference

The most important thing to remember here was the point I made back in Before You Start Your Campaign, Know Where You're Going, but it sometimes bears repeating. In order for your players to feel they've accomplished something, and that a particular PC's tale has been told, they need to have a complete story. They need an adventure where they went there and back again, and which allows them to get the character out of their system. When the song is sung, and their tale told, it becomes significantly easier to put that character aside and come up with someone else for the next campaign.

All right, next character I'm thinking like a rebel noble who turns to piracy... sound cool?

Another thing to keep in mind, though, is what I said in If DMs Want Personal Investment, Their Games Need Personal Stakes. Because just finishing a game isn't enough; you need players to feel like they finished the story they were telling. And if the party was nothing more than the randomly chosen heroes of the land, with events happening around them rather than actually happening to them, then they might feel less like they told their story and more like their PC had a really weird dream. They need to be given a chance to achieve their goals, and to make the overall story their story in order for the character to feel complete.

Now, as I said, this is not guaranteed to work with all players. Some players will be stuck in the same character because that's all they know, or they may not want to branch out to different mechanics. Sometimes it can feel like it worked well enough last time, so why not do that again? But for a lot of players, the chance to finally finish the story they were telling is all they need to move on to something new.

And hopefully just as interesting!

Last Minute Announcement!

Before I close out this week, I wanted to let folks know I'm thinking about starting a new series here! I'm tentatively calling it Alignment Deep Dives, and the idea is to break down pop culture characters through the lens of the alignment system so they can be used as a touch stone for players who may be looking to get a handle on one of the 9 boxes. I've already covered Judge Dredd (lawful evil), The Punisher (evil), and Robocop (lawful good), but I'm interested in hearing what other characters you'd like to see join the list, and if it's something you'd like to see more of in the future!

Also, if you scroll up to look at the new display, you'll see that there's even a title for the Alignment Deep Dives page!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The Man Out of Time

Kalaka frowned at the statue, spattered with the monster's blood. It was so utterly lifelike, with every hair and every vein looking like it was one breath away from coming to life. She touched the shoulder of the massive warrior, his ax upraised for a strike, and traced a sigil on it. Her eyes flashed with a touch of power from the charm, and she frowned.

"What?" Celindra asked, noting Kalaka's frown.

"This is no statue," she said softly, her eyebrows knitting together. "This man has been trapped in stone here for... many years."

"Can you free him?" Celindra asked.

"Potentially," Kalaka said absently. She traced the runes along his armor, noting the ancient alphabet that had fallen out of use centuries ago. His great size, and the too-long teeth, like something out of legends only half remembered by the sages. "Stand back."

She spoke the words of the incantation she'd prepared that morning, knowing the enemy they faced. The syllables rang through the air, and with every one that fell from her lips the stone seemed to shudder. To quake. As the last word rang, the stone cracked and fell away like an eggshell, revealing the man beneath. His roar, begun untold years ago, bellowed from his throat as he finally completed the swing. His ax smashed into the stone floor, the steel cleaving into the rock. He leaped back, yanking the weapon with him, and holding it in a defensive position as his eyes flicked from one woman to the other. He noted the headless corpse of the creature whose gaze had entombed him, but disregarded it as unimportant for the moment.

"Que la quora a-na?" He snarled, shifting his grip on the haft.

"What's he saying?" Celindra asked, keeping her hands visible, but near enough to her sword for comfort.

"It's Antarish, I think," Kalaka said. "I haven't heard it in years."

Slowly, ponderously, Kalaka worked through the forms of address of the half-forgotten tongue. The man's frown didn't leave his face, but he lowered his weapon. When he spoke again his words were slow and careful, recognizing that her grip on his tongue was tenuous at best. Kalaka's face shone with a combination of fear, and excitement.

"What are you smiling at?" Celindra asked.

"I can't be sure, but I think he's one of the Karashkala," Kalaka said. "If I'm right, then what he knows might be worth more than all the treasure in this place."

"If you can get it out of him," Celindra said, folding her arms.

"Him," the man said, as if tasting the word. He nodded slightly, as if storing it away for later use. Celindra jumped, but Kalaka just smiled. She had a feeling he would be a quick study.

They put him in the square to honor him, and as the years passed they forgot who he truly was.

Gone A Long Time

It is one thing to play a particularly long-lived character who has watched the world change around them over the decades and centuries (a topic I covered in 4 Tips For Making Long-Lived Characters Feel Old), but the Man Out of Time is the other side of that coin. These characters have been plucked out of their own time, and somehow placed into the far future where everything they once knew has been either lost, or relegated to the pages of dusty tomes of history known only to a select few scholars and a handful of particularly long-lived races.

Sit yourself, my old friend. Many things have changed since last we spoke.

Whether you've simply been gone for a handful of decades, or for centuries, the world has moved on since you have been gone. The nations you knew may have fallen into decay, or become mockeries of the things they once stood for. New countries may have risen, and new cultures born. Gods may have died, and new ones risen. You are truly a stranger in a strange land, attempting to pull together the skills and knowledge you still possess to explore this undiscovered country.

It's a concept that has often been attempted, but which can be difficult to pull off. Because while you need the method of your preservation, you also need to know in which ways the world has changed in your absence, and how that affects you.

Accident Or On Purpose?

The first thing you need to establish for your character is whether they went into their state of preservation on purpose or not. In the classic example of someone failing a save and getting turned to stone, they probably didn't intend for that to happen. The alternative is that your character was put into a state of suspended animation on purpose, though the reason for this might vary. Perhaps it was as a punishment, or it might have been as a protective measure against a foreseen apocalypse that may not have even come to pass. There's a lot of wiggle room, here.

It's also important to remember that something can be done as an accident or on purpose using the same mechanics with differing intent.

As an example, a basilisk or similar creature could be used as a way to preserve individuals of great skill and prowess until their services were needed again by a particular organization, like the Brim or the Aligned found in my supplement 100 Secret Societies. For a pop culture reference, this would be similar to how the Winter Soldier was only brought out of his containment when he had to assassinate a target (one of the many details I made sure to put in my Winter Soldier character conversion, for those who are interested).

Another solid choice, if you're playing Pathfinder, is to use the Awakened From Stasis background trait found in People of The Stars. For those who want something less sci-fi in feeling, though, you could instead opt for the strange difference in time between the material plane and time in the First World of the fey, as we find in stories where someone spends an afternoon or a day at a fey celebration and comes back to find they've been gone for 50, or even 100 years. Even something as simple as getting lost in the mists of the deep wild forests could have you step between worlds and times. For those looking for a reference, there are a handful of the options in 100 Encounters in a Fey Forest.

What Makes You Strange?

Once you've figured out how you survived from a time long past into the current era, the next question you need to ask is what makes you strange or unusual in this setting? Do you have unique skills or abilities that were lost to time, representing a character class or archetype that is considered particularly rare (or even non-existent) in the current setting? Do you lack a traditional shared language, needing to communicate in older tongues like high elven or infernal (or even to use magic) in order to make your way in this new age while you learn its ways? Do your traditions, fighting style, or other skills make you stand out among those who have the knowledge to recognize what them, and when they're from?

It took me several months, but eventually I learned to make myself understood.

What Connections Still Exist?

Another aspect of the character concept is to ask yourself which things have remained the same, as well as which things have changed. If there's a particular style of brewing they enjoyed (perhaps a certain elven mead or dwarven ale) that's still around, it could act as something for them to cling to in a world of change. Perhaps certain plays or music that was fresh and new when they first walked the world are now enshrined as classics, allowing them to have some kind of cultural touch stone they can share with those in this age, even if so much else has changed.

Bigger aspects to examine would be if this character's god is still part of the setting (doubly important for divine casting characters), and whether any orders or organizations they'd sworn allegiance to are still around. A church, a knightly order, or even a mercenary company with a storied history could provide a bedrock for the character to build a new foundation on.

The years have waned, but the strength of my oath has not.

If the character was gone for decades, or even centuries, it's possible there will be old companions or commanders who remember them. People who can act as a reference point for the character, and who can help ease them back into the world. If they were gone for longer, and are a part of an organization's history instead of its living memory, then they could be treated with a kind of reverence as a time capsule back to those older times. Someone who was there in its early days, and who can tell today's aspirants and acolytes what it was like, would be unique indeed.

If their Small Legend is large enough, it's possible they may have been noted in song or story during their original days... and depending on how much time has passed, those songs may have blown their true deeds a little out of proportion. Perhaps claiming they slew dragons when it was merely drakes, or that they stood and fought alone for days and nights to hold back an army when it was more like fighting against a small force for an hour or so with stalwart companions at their side.

While you can sever all connections and drop the character into an alien setting John Carter of Mars style, it's a lot easier if you carve out a small niche for them to step into in the setting. Especially if it turns out that their nemesis, rather than an old friend, is still walking the world. This is particularly good for wizards that have become liches, or evil dragons that have grown to great wyrm status who defeated a champion once, but who did not slay them. Perhaps as a form of cruel vengeance, or perhaps because they were wounded by the battle and left to tend their hurts without checking to be sure the job was done properly.

Extra Inspiration

Whether your character is a noble knight who was turned to stone, an alchemist whose experiment went awry, an assassin preserved in a frozen state to prevent their aging between assignments, or simply someone who ran afoul of a fey queen and returned home to find time had passed them by, there's a lot of potential with this concept. If you're looking for additional inspiration for organizations you can anchor yourself to, or other aspects of your backstory that could make the character feel more organic, check out the following.

- Who's in Your Rogues' Gallery?: Your enemies can define you, and if you survived into the modern day, it's entirely possible some of your most dire foes have, as well. So consider a nemesis as your new point of reference in the world.

- 100 Fantasy Battle Cries (And Their Histories): A battle cry is like a maker's mark for a warrior, and someone from a time that's passed into memory may have a particular war cry that sends shivers up the spines of foes who thought all of that blood and nation had gone down to dust.

- 100 Knightly Orders: With storied histories often stretching back as long as a nation or royal family, knightly orders tend to be where many heroes come from. And if they have lost all other sense of direction, it might be the order to which they return in a new world.

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned For More!

That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a dungeon master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal and Gamers archives, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

What Would You Like To See Me Write Next?

For those who are regular readers here on Improved Initiative, I know it can be tough to keep track of everything I'm working on and putting out. I've got two blogs here a week, one blog a week over on The Literary Mercenary, an ever-growing Vocal archive covering everything from weird history to character conversion builds, and an entire Amazon author page where you can find books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my short story collection The Rejects. Then on top of all of that, I've got dozens of modules, supplements, and other RPG-related products on the market right now.

It's that last one that I'd like to talk to you about today, though. Because while I enjoy at least a little bit of creative freedom with the projects I propose and the things I work on, at the end of the day this is still my job. As such, I want to create the sorts of things you all want as my readers, because doing so allows me to keep my landlady happy with enough left over at the end of the month for tacos.

Like this one, for those who didn't see it. Go check it out now!

It Is Really Hard To Read The Room Sometimes

What would you think are some of the most popular RPG products I've had a hand in making? What are the things that have climbed their way up the metal charts on Drive Thru RPG to put me in some rather select company?

Well, at time of writing, my top sellers seem to be:

- 100 NPCs You Might Meet at The Tavern (Electrum edging toward Gold)

- 100 Merchants to Encounter (Electrum)

- 100 Random Taverns (Electrum)

There are over 80 projects out there right now with my name on them, and they run the gamut. Some of them were proposed by me, some were given on assignment, and I wrote them for half a dozen different companies. If you'd asked me which ones I thought were going to do really well, I probably would have guessed one of my current top three. Maybe. If I was lucky.

You know what I didn't predict, though? I didn't predict that the pair of supplements 100 Unusual Aasimar and 100 Tieflings to Meet in Your Travels would basically stall out and go nowhere. I'd intended them to be the vanguard of a whole NPC supplement series where I gave DMs and players alike lists of elves, halflings, orcs, etc. since it seemed that NPC lists always did well. When these two flopped, I pivoted completely and basically haven't written a fantasy NPC list since, despite two of them being my top sellers.

Speaking of things I thought would do well... and this one's the top seller!

One of those projects that sounded like it would do really well was the Critical Hits series that I wrote for TPK Games a yonk or two ago. By order of release these one-shot modules went like this:

- False Valor: A murder mystery where the players need to uncover who's responsible for the death of a local girl before old grievances ignite the grudge the local dale has with the elves of the nearby forest, restarting a war that took a heavy toll on both sides.

- The Curse of Sapphire Lake: When a new crop of settlers attempts to reclaim Kingsbridge, a ghost from the past haunts them. A bone-white face lurks in the woods, and misfortune crouches in every shadow... but is there something deeper to the curse that seems to hang in the air around Sapphire Lake?

- Ghosts of Sorrow Marsh: Something is prowling the old Marsh Road, and it's left the town of Bracken cut off and desperate. Are you brave enough to venture into the marsh and uncover the dark truth of what is slowly closing its fist around the town?

These modules were written for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, which is hands-down the most popular RPG going right now, as well as the most popular one on Drive Thru RPG by a long shot. TPK Games had a pretty solid history of sales with pre-written games, and the original plan floated at the time the project commenced was for me to write 10 one shots that could then be bundled both digitally and as a book for gamers who wanted to keep a variety on-hand.

Despite video reviews and play throughs on YouTube, along with positive reviews from many people who have played it, only one of these modules even managed to claw its way to Copper. The others make an occasional sale here and there, but nothing that would warrant the time, effort, and expense of expanding the series beyond this original trilogy.

This Week, Just Tell Me What You'd Like To See!

I've had some projects that absolutely explode when I do not expect them to (such as my Pathfinder Character Conversion For Andrew Jackson), and others that I expect to do well completely fizzle. As such I thought I'd take this Monday to cut out the guess work and ask you, my readers, what you want to see.

So, what would you like?

Help me narrow down the field.

Absolutely all suggestions are welcome. Do you want to see more specific world lore pieces, like my 13 Fiends: A Baker's Dozen of Devils, or the Baker's Dozen of Rumors (And The Truth Behind Them)? Would you rather see more mechanical content geared toward a particular system, such as 5E or Pathfinder? Or would you prefer background world lore like 100 Gangs For Your Urban Campaigns as well as 100 Knightly Orders?

If you're a reader who doesn't buy supplements, but likes my work, I want your opinion as well. Should I go back and write a fresh batch of Character Conversions? For which edition would you like to see them, if so? Or should I expand my 5 Tips collection, and cover some more base classes or fantasy races? Perhaps step into another game/setting entirely, such as the World/Chronicles of Darkness and talk about playing better vampires, werewolves, etc.?

The sky is the limit here! Anything you want to see, just tell me in the comments to have your vote counted.

I will let you in on a secret, though. The best way to get my attention, as well as a publisher's attention, is to try to boost the signal on the things we put out. Because if something sells a lot of copies (or gets a lot of reads, in the case of a free article), that sends a message to us loud and clear; the readers want more of this thing. So by all means, tell me what you want... but just to underline it, make sure you share some links on your social media to similar products, or boost the signal on particular guides/projects.

Because as long as there's audience interest, I'll be more than happy to keep the party going.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!